Wozniak slams case against Dotcom

SAY CHEESE: Kim Dotcom tweeted this picture of himself and Steve Wozniak taken in Auckland.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the US piracy case against Kim Dotcom is "hokey" and a threat to internet innovation.

Wozniak and Dotcom have spoken out against the federal case in separate interviews with The Associated Press.

Dotcom, the flamboyant founder of file-sharing site Megaupload, is wanted by the US for criminal copyright violations, money laundering and wire fraud, is on bail at his luxury Coatesville mansion ahead of extradition hearings.

"The more people learn about this case the more they realize that this type of copyright disagreement between Hollywood and new cloud storage technology is a political debate, not something that belongs in the criminal court and certainly not something to justify breaking down the door to my house," he said.

Dotcom said Megaupload had been applauded for its content removal policies. But he also acknowledged the site could host pirated files.

"What people uploaded and downloaded in their storage areas was up to them. One person's licensed music MP3 file is potentially another person's infringing file," he wrote.

Wozniak said he believes that people should pay for content. But he also believes in keeping the internet open to encourage innovation. He said trying to shut down sites like Megaupload is futile.

"If you've got a huge steamroller coming, instead of trying to stop it, you should get out of the way," he said.

Wozniak, a founding member of the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation which has sought to return frozen Megaupload files to users, said authorities need to release some of Dotcom's frozen financial assets so he can pay his mounting legal fees.

Born Kim Schmitz in Germany, Dotcom, who changed his name in 2005, has been in trouble before. He was convicted in 1998 in Germany of computer fraud and dealing in stolen phone cards.

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In 2002, he was convicted of manipulating the stock price of an internet startup. Both times, he was fined but managed to avoid jail time. He also portrayed himself at the time as a super hacker, although German hackers spoken to by the AP say he did little of what he claimed.

He moved to New Zealand after gaining residency in 2010.

Asked if he might be being fooled by a clever conman, Wozniak said it "could very well be the case."

"If I hear details that have credibility, I could totally turn against him," Wozniak said. "But I'm not finding it anywhere from what I've heard so far."

Dotcom has portrayed himself as the victim in rare interviews and on his new Twitter account, where he's posted photos of his family.

He's also been thumbing his nose at authorities and the case against him.

One photo he posted shows him standing in a field, his arms outstretched, with the caption "Flight risk!!!!" Another photo shows a colleague scrubbing bills in a bowl of soapy water: "Money laundering."

The irreverence and anti-authoritarian streak has appealed to many New Zealanders. In the eight days since starting his Twitter account, Dotcom has amassed more than 40,000 followers, rivalling the 51,000 who follow New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key.

Ira Rothken, one of Dotcom's lawyers, said he is pleased with the way New Zealand authorities have relaxed Dotcom's bail rules pending an August extradition hearing by gradually removing the restrictions on his movements and freeing some of his assets so he can pay personal expenses.

Dotcom's lawyers are seeking to have the case against the company - although not the individuals - thrown out on the basis that Hong Kong-based Megaupload had no legal presence in the US. They're also seeking the release of millions of dollars to pay for the legal fees.

Dotcom said he's optimistic the extradition request will be refused and hopeful the US will eventually drop the criminal case.

Then, he said, he'd be free to focus on launching some new products, including a music service he's named "megabox." For now, he's got a new crowd offering support.

"That's why I love the internet," he tweeted last week. "From zero to 1000 followers in one day. Let's make history together."